Great Overlooked Sedan
Pros:
Engine, Handling, 5sp manual, comfort, stereo, trunk space
Cons:
front wheel drive, rear seat leg room, clutch
The Bottom Line:
A great, rare car. If you can find one in good condition, it is a great buy.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
The vigor was overlooked because it was not marketed well by Honda. In between the Legend and Integra line, there was never very high demand for a small, sporty sedan. There are only something like 800 '94 Vigors in the U.S., and a fraction of that with a 5sp, which helped the beautiful sounding and performing inline5 engine shine. The car was rated at 176bhp and 170ft-lbs of torque, but dyno tests show that it is more around 195bhp. Honda must have done that to decrease competition with the Legend line. If you can find the 5sp model, 0-60 times are around 7.6sec. The car is limited around 135mph, but take the limiter out, and it will run out of RPMs somewhere above 145.
Handling is very nice for a heavier sedan. The grip is good, and the only thing holding the car back is the body roll. Although there are hardly any aftermarket parts available for the car, some Accord suspension parts can be used. The steering is very twitchy, which can be nice, but at highway speeds, the slightest movement will turn the car. The one downside to the handling is that the car, as with any FWD, understeers terribly under heavy driving. This car would have been better with RWD.
The 8 speaker stereo is superb. There are two DSP speakers on the roof that help to increase the dynamics of the sound, but they are not all that helpful. The seats are very comfortable. The stick is very short, allowing for quick shifts, but the clutch is long and heavy, something that you have to get used to. The backseats are slightly bucket style and very comfortable, but with not too much leg room. The trunk is massive.
The '94, although almost 10 years old, still gets remarks, and the inline5 engine, although only used in the Volvo v70 and a Renault in Europe, still gives a great compromise of power and fuel economy. It still keeps value, as the '94's can't often be found for under 8,000. Take a look at this underrated car.
Brandon